


Amaranthine Prelude

by spacesquidlings



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Fire Emblem Crossover, Garreg Mach Monastery (Fire Emblem), Gen, Mystic Messenger AU, Mystic Messenger/Fire Emblem AU, Mystic Messenger/Fire Emblem Crossover
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-06-20
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:14:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24299449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacesquidlings/pseuds/spacesquidlings
Summary: No one knew what to expect when Byleth Eisner walked through the front gates of Garreg Mach Monastery. And no one knew what to expect when she chose to teach the Amaranth Gryphons, a house composed of students from the small Principality of Cerridwen.Or that barely weeks after they lost their house leader Rika in the same tragedy that almost stole Flayn, they would be welcoming a new student to join the Gryphons. A stranger from the continent, a girl who had been on the run. A girl who bore a crest so old it was only found in the most ancient of texts.Nobody could have known what would happen next.
Kudos: 6





	1. Missing

**Author's Note:**

> Heyo!!!! This is Part 1 of my Mystic Messenger/FE3H Crossover (Au). White Clouds is going to serve as the general route, and then I'll be writing timeskip branches for different characters. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do :)

Flayn was  _ gone _ .

Kidnapped. Flayn had been kidnapped. There was almost no question about it. They hadn’t been hearing rumours about a dark knight stalking the streets of the town to not even  _ consider _ the possibility.

V felt nauseous as everyone rushed around him, the world spinning and tilting at a dizzying pace. There was so much happening,  _ too _ much happening, and was happening too fast. And yet he felt like  _ he _ was moving too slow. Like the world had sped up and he had slowed down. He couldn’t wrap his head around it, couldn’t understand it. Couldn’t understand  _ any _ of it.

He stared at a patch of sunlight on the scuffed floor. So close and yet so achingly far from him as he sat in the cool, dark room. Entirely alone. Feeling colder than he had in a long, long time.

His mouth felt dry, though. And dimly, in the back of his mind, he thought that he should drink some water. That at the very least he should stay hydrated. It was the least he could do to keep his strength up. For Flayn. For everything that was to come.

And yet he could not move. Could not stand from the seat in the stone classroom where they had all taken their lessons. Where Byleth had lectured them on proper strategy, on spell-casting, on working with your men in the midst of battle.

V felt like he was in the midst of battle now; like he was surrounded, his lance lost somewhere out in the bloody field of death. Vaguely, he could hear his friends screaming, could hear the battle cries, the rage, the sorrow, the clamour of steel and silver, the crackle of lightning as it arced through the air. And yet he could not get to them and they could not get to him. Because there were enemies on all sides, and he knew he was going to lose.

“ _ V. _ ”

He looked up at the sound of his friend’s voice, of Jumin, the young man’s footsteps echoing on the stone floor as he came to stand beside where V was sitting.

“We have to do something.”

“I know.”

“We have to search for them.”

“I know.”

Jumin sighed, and V didn’t have to look up to know his friend was running his hand through his hair. He just kept staring at the light. As if somehow he could somehow uncover everything still unknown to him. As if the sunlight would somehow tell him  _ why _ . Why she had done it, why she had  _ left _ . Why she had taken an innocent with her.

“It’s possible Rika was taken with Flayn.”

V nodded, not sure how else to respond.

“ _ V!” _

Yoosung’s furious shouting should have startled him. Should have  _ scared _ him. And yet he wasn’t sure if he could feel anything at all.

All he could see in his mind’s eye was Rika, her pale hand waving at him as she smiled. As her shining, emerald eyes were cloaked in shadows.

He felt the snap of magic in the air, the coppery tang that filled his mouth, and a great mauve darkness had wrapped around Rika.

And then she’d been gone.

V closed his eyes, letting out a shuddering breath. Trying to hold himself together. Trying to stop himself from crying.

“ _ V, what are you doing?!” _ Yoosung screamed. “We  _ need _ to find Rika! What if she was  _ taken _ by that horrible monster that’s been seen in town!”

V shook his head. His eyes throbbed in pain, and he resisted the urge to rub them.

He didn’t deserve any relief from the pain, not even the most fleeting kind.

He hadn’t stopped Rika. He hadn’t been  _ able _ to stop her. And now what? He had failed her, and now countless people would likely be harmed.

He’d loved her so deeply and it hadn’t been enough.  _ He _ hadn’t been enough.

He doubted he deserved the air he was breathing.

He felt hands on his shoulders, felt nails digging into his skin before he was jostled violently, and he knew without looking that it was Yoosung shaking him.

“You said she  _ was missing!” _ Yoosung cried, his voice beginning to crack. “ _ Why aren’t you out looking for her?! _ ”

“Yoosung, that’s enough.”

The cruel hands at his shoulders were roughly yanked away as Zen’s voice echoed through the room, followed by Yoosung shouting unintelligibly.

Finally, V  _ did _ open his eyes, only to behold a scene that  _ should _ have been hilarious. A scene that  _ should _ have made him laugh, were they not in the midst of such a dire situation.

Had Rika not left.

Zen had Yoosung hoisted up, and Yoosung kicked out his feet like a child in the midst of a tantrum. Zen’s arms were wrapped around Yoosung’s chest and he was shouting at him to calm down while Yoosung yelled about Zen acting like his mother  _ again _ .

And yet despite this drama, Jumin watched on with perhaps the most bored expression V had ever seen.

Jaehee had entered the room, although he had no idea when, and watched the scene with mild amusement, although there were lines of stress already wrinkling her forehead, and her shoulders were tense.

There was no sign of Seven, meaning that perhaps at least  _ one _ of them was doing something productive. Although knowing Seven it was more likely that he’d taken advantage of the monastery-wide panic and snuck into Jumin’s room to pet Elizabeth.

V chewed at the corner of his lip, desperately wanting to say something, and yet having  _ no idea _ if there was anything he could say.

He couldn’t just tell them that Rika had left. That she’d warped herself away. That she was a danger to herself and to everyone else.

That it was  _ his fault _ that he hadn’t been able to stop her. To save her. To heal all her wounds and fill her with light and joy.

So instead he swallowed, his tongue like sandpaper in his mouth, staying still as Yoosung started shouting that V wasn’t doing anything, that he wasn’t trying, that he didn’t care about Rika at  _ all _ , even though they were  _ engaged _ . Even though they were supposed to be getting  _ married _ .

“Yoosung that is  _ enough _ ,” Zen snapped, shaking their friend like a ragdoll. “Everyone deals with things differently. She’s his fiancé, he’s probably so shocked he can’t  _ move _ .”

Zen had no idea how right he was.

V breathed slowly, trying to gather what few thoughts he still had.

“Yoosung is right,” he said, his tongue feeling heavy, his voice sounding like a stranger’s as he spoke. “We need to be looking for Rika. And Flayn.”

He doubted they would find Rika. But Flayn…  _ She _ still had a chance. They  _ had _ to find her.

“What are you all doing?”

They all collectively turned as Byleth’s heels clicked against the stone. She folded her arms across her chest, staring at them all, her mouth pulled into a thin line. But V could see the way the corner of her mouth twitched, the small lines forming on her brow. How her face had grown pallid, dark bags stark beneath the cobalt of her eyes.

She was worried. She was  _ scared _ .

It had been three days since Flayn and Rika had gone missing. Three days with no leads.

“Do we have anything that might help us find Flayn and Rika?” She asked, tipping her head to the side.

V had watched since the beginning of the semester how Byleth had changed, how she’d grown so much more expressive, the cool, empty mask she’d often worn slipping away. He’d heard her laugh once, seen her grow angry, her eyes filled with fire and rage. And today he saw despair swarming in those same eyes, dousing any remaining fire and fury. Despair and anxiety and such  _ fear _ .

Flayn was gone. Seteth’s young sister was  _ gone _ . Taken. 

And Rika was gone, too. Rika, who had been their house leader, who had been so close to Byleth since the semester had begun.

He wondered if the ache in her heart was like his, if it was a storm of bitter winds that tore apart her heart and left it barren and empty, as his was.

Jumin was the one who answered, while Yoosung still struggled in Zen’s grip.

“As of now we have no new leads, although I believe Seven is doing further investigation.”

Byleth’s nod was short, the corners of her eyes crinkling.

“There’s still a chance that we’ll find them,” V said, not really thinking before the words were out of his mouth.

All he really knew for certain was that he wanted to help the professor in whatever way he could, wanted to comfort her. Wanted her to smile at them all, an expression filled with warmth and happiness and shining sunlight.

Her expression did soften, if only slightly. “We will find them, I have complete faith in that.” Her eyes grew dark again. “But we must hurry. We cannot waste a single moment.”

Yoosung finally managed to wrench himself from Zen’s grasp and he jumped to the floor, scowling at V. “Maybe we would have  _ found them already _ if V wasn’t acting like this.”

Zen smacked Yoosung’s arm. “ _ Hey _ . This isn’t the time for this.”

“I’m just saying that maybe he doesn’t  _ care at all _ .”

That earned Yoosung another smack, but the young man only scowled deeper. “I’m going to go see if I can help Seven find any leads.”

V felt his shoulders sag as Yoosung stormed from the classroom, some of the tension vanishing from his body.

Byleth came towards him, perching on the seat next to him. She laid a hand on his arm. “It’s okay. We’re going to find them both.”

V nodded, even though he knew it wasn’t true. But how could he tell Byleth that? How could he tell Zen and Jaehee and Jumin, his friends, all looking at him with anxiety and pity in their eyes.

He took another deep, long breath, tucking away the ache in his heart. He would deal with it later, let it consume him later, destroy him later.

But right now there was still a little girl who had been taken, and she needed help. She needed  _ everyone’s _ help.

“Yoosung’s right,” he said, his words still strange in his mouth. “Sitting around won’t help.”

“What do you suggest we do instead?” Jumin asked, crossing his arms. “Seven is already looking for information that might help us find her.”

“Seven shouldn’t be the only one to help. Maybe if we talk to some of the other students, some of the staff, maybe someone saw something.”

Jumin pressed his mouth into a thin line as he nodded, contemplating V’s suggestion.

“Alright,” he said after a moment. “Let’s start with that. J-”

Jaehee didn’t wait for Jumin to even say her name before she was already bowing low. “Already on it, my lord. I’ll see what I can find.”

V nodded, standing. “I’ll try talking to some people, too.”

He would see if there was still any good he could do. If not for Rika, at least for his friends, and for Flayn.


	2. Fool's Hope

Byleth couldn’t stop smiling.

She doubted she’d ever smiled this much in her entire life. Not even when her father had first taught her to fish and she’d caught a fish larger than she was. Or when she’d first shot a bow and her arrow had hit the mark perfectly. And not even when the monastery animals had started coming to her door for treats and as many pets as she could give them.

All of these, all of these and  _ more _ , had brought her joy. Had made her heart feel warm and wonderful, like it was almost overflowing. But never had she smiled.

And yet now she couldn’t stop. Couldn’t wipe what was no doubt an incredibly goofy grin from her face as she made her way to class for their morning lecture.

Because they had found Flayn. They had  _ rescued _ her. And now she was home and she was safe and unharmed.

And now she was a part of Byleth’s class too, a new member of the Amaranth Gryphons.

It made her so happy, so purely and wonderfully happy to know that Flayn was alright. That she would be able to watch over her and protect her from here on out.

And yet the joy was stained with sadness too; a sharp, bittersweet feeling that left her heart aching. Made her feel alone in a way she had never felt before.

Because Rika was still gone. Still missing. Or at least presumed so.

They’d been certain they’d find her with Flayn. Certain she’d be in that dark, hellish basement where they’d found Flayn and that other girl.

And yet nothing. No sign of her  _ anywhere _ .

V had mentioned that he’d thought he’d seen her by the edge of the monastery grounds. That he’d thought he’d seen a figure at the edge, where the ground fell away into the deep, near bottomless chasm that surrounded the monastery. That it had looked like Rika.

But when he’d called out she hadn’t turned around. Merely leapt from the edge, swallowed by a darkness so deep even the starlight hadn’t been able to reach her.

Byleth swallowed, her hands clenching at her side.

She just had to hope there was still a way. That Rika wasn’t completely lost to them.

It was a fool’s hope, she knew. There was no coming back from a jump like that. Only the endless fall, the unforgiving embrace of the ground as it rushed up to meet whoever threw themselves from the ledge.

But what if it  _ hadn’t _ been Rika? What if V had imagined it? She knew he hadn’t been sleeping well, if the growing bags beneath his eyes were  _ any _ indication.

So what if he’d dreamt it? Or if it had been the creation of his sleep-deprived mind?

Still a fool’s hope, she knew, but it was hope nonetheless and she clung to it like a child clung to the cloak of their parent.

She  _ had _ to. She  _ had _ to believe that Rika was alive out there somewhere. That someone who had become one of her closest friends hadn’t died. Hadn’t thrown herself from the edge like that.

Byleth shook her head, forcing herself to breath, to focus on the day ahead of her, on the positives despite it all.

They’d found Flayn. They’d cast out the Death Knight, whoever they were.

There were still more mysteries that needed to be solved, more questions unanswered, but for now perhaps she could revel in this small victory. 

Perhaps for now she could enjoy the warm morning light that fell upon her face and wrapped around her like an embrace.

Today she could be happy that Flayn was safe and a part of her class. Tomorrow she could think about the mysteries that still needed solving.


	3. Breathless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowan is no one, just another commoner living in a village a days ride from Garreg Mach.  
> So, why then, is she being chased? Why is she being hunted? And who could possibly want her so desperately?

Rowan was  _ breathless _ .

And not breathless in the good way. Not breathless in the way she’d read about in stories and tried to replicate in her own. The kind of breathless where someone she loved was a few inches away, their hands on her waist, or maybe in her hair, she wasn’t really sure. But their mouth would be  _ oh-so-close _ to hers, and they’d be smiling and her knees would probably be more than a little wobbly. And her hand would be on their chest and they’d probably be whispering something soft and sweet and warm, something about love, about loving her. About being together forever.

Nor the breathless she felt when she danced, like she was filled with magic and song as she spun and twirled.

No, those were the  _ good _ breathless.

And right now she was the very,  _ very _ bad breathless.

The kind of breathless where her lungs burned and her legs screamed at her, and yet she couldn’t stop. She  _ could not stop _ . Because stopping meant getting hurt. Stopping meant  _ death _ . And there was no way on the ground that had once been goddess blessed that she was dying today.

So she ran. Lungs on fire, body in agony, each breath like a knife cutting through her. And still she ran.

She didn’t even know  _ why _ she was running. Only that she  _ had _ to.

Strangers in dark garb and cruel, calculating faces had come to the village. They’d had weapons and they’d had more men with them than she’d been able to count.

She’d been able to make out what she’d  _ thought _ were mages, but she hadn’t been sure. Their robes were different, and they very clearly were  _ not _ affiliated with the church in any capacity.

She’d barely laid her eyes on them before hands had been at her wrists, before she’d been dragged away as they’d tried capturing her, the last of the sun’s rays staining the sky a bloody crimson. An omen for the days to come.

She didn’t know  _ how _ she’d managed to get away. Only that she’d kicked and thrashed and  _ screamed _ and her body had burned like she’d been set alight and they’d dropped her immediately.

And then she’d run.

And now she was still running, still desperate to get away from them. Because they hadn’t just given up. Hadn’t just let her  _ go _ .

The moment she’d started running there had been shouts, followed by the sound of feet pounding on the dusty ground, of horses hooves clattering against the cobbled paths.

And then they’d been chasing her and they had not  _ stopped _ .

Rowan didn’t know how much longer she could keep this up. She’d been on the run for almost two days now, hiding in the forest when she was desperate for a break, but never for long. Never for more than a few hours. Because they were always,  _ always _ right behind her. They  _ always _ managed to find her.

And then she would be running again, desperate to stay one step ahead, to  _ get away _ .

She didn’t know if she was going to, though. If she was going to make it. She didn’t even know  _ where _ she was going, just that she felt a tug in her heart and she followed. It didn’t even matter, really, so long as it was away from the people chasing her. So long as it was somewhere  _ safe _ .

Rowan heaved in a deep breath, forcing her legs to go faster, for her feet to slam against the dewy ground as dusk settled over the world.

The sun was setting, it would be dark soon.

_ It would be dark soon _ .

She cringed, her hands already shaking at the thought of struggling through another lightless night.

She’d nearly broken her leg the night before, and she’d almost been caught the night before that. The darkness impeded her  _ greatly _ , and yet it didn’t seem to deter her pursuers in the least.

She wanted to cry, but she was so dehydrated that she knew the tears wouldn’t come.

So instead she ran. Instead she forced air in and out of her lungs as best she could.

She didn’t expect to break out of the tree-line so suddenly, the forest falling away so abruptly that she almost stumbled as the sky opened up above her.

The sun was still up, casting pinks and reds and pinks across the cloudless sky. It was beautiful, the kind of sky she would pause and stare up at on her way home from work.

But today she  _ could not stop _ .

So she kept going, ignoring the sky, her gaze locked instead on something else in the distance; on the village that seemed so close she could almost touch it. And the great, walled monastery that sat perched on the cliff beyond it.

_ Garreg Mach _ .

Rowan nearly gasped as it came into view, as she took in the awe-inspiring monastery. It was home to the Officers Academy, the best school in the continent, and to the central church of Seiros. It was where she knew the archbishop resided, where nobles from across the continent gathered to learn and hone their skills to become great rulers.

She’d known it was grand but this.  _ This _ was so much more grand than she could have possibly imagined. And she wasn’t even that  _ close _ .

And yet she could still make out the intricately carved spires. The massive, ornate cathedral and the wrought iron gates. Light from the sinking sun sparked on what she assumed was the armour of guards patrolling the premises, ensuring the students and members of the church were well protected.

_ Wait _ .

She stumbled, nearly falling flat on her face, but caught herself just in time, regaining her balance in an awkward shuffle across the slippery ground.

There were  _ guards _ at Garreg Mach. There were armed  _ guards _ . There were likely mercenaries too, not to mention all the priests and monks and mages. And while the students may not have been their best, they were still training to  _ be _ the best.

Surely there was someone there who would be able to help her. Who would be willing to protect her from whoever was trying to steal her away.

And if all that failed there were still  _ all _ those gates, and those high walls. At the very least maybe she could hide out in the cathedral, in some little corner, praying to the goddess to keep her safe, until her pursuers left her alone.

If they ever left her alone.

Her eyes burned like she might really cry, and she pushed herself forward, begging her body to carry her this final stretch to the monastery.

Rowan sent desperate prayers to the goddess, pleading with her to let her arrive safely. To protect her for these last painful minutes until she could reach the monastery.

She thought she would make it, too. She was foolish enough to let herself hope that she was going to make it and she was going to be  _ safe _ .

And then the sound of hooves pounding against the ground rattled through her. The ground beneath her feet shook, and shouts broke out through the final moments of dusk before night swept across the land.

_ She wasn’t going to make it _ .

“ _ Please!” _ She shrieked, the first word she’d spoken since she’d started running.

_ Please _ , she had to make it. She  _ had to make it _ .

She didn’t know what they were going to do with her, what they were going to do  _ to _ her, but she knew it was going to be bad. She knew it was going to be awful and that it was going to destroy her if it didn’t kill her entirely. She could feel it deep in her bones, in the very depths of her soul.

She screamed as shadows appeared in the corners of her eyes, the horses and their riders finally gaining on her now that they were free from the forest.

Was this it? Was it really going to end here?

She didn’t even have a weapon, she couldn’t even  _ defend _ herself. And she knew no magic, not having the money to afford even the most basic magic lessons.

But she gritted her teeth, pushing herself, desperate to get away. To make it through this final stretch. Even though it was foolish, even though she knew it was fruitless, that they would catch her and that she would die, she kept running.

And then…

And then…

_ And then… _

“ _ HEY!” _

The voice was new, not one she had heard bellowing from her faceless pursuers. And it wasn’t coming from behind her either, where those voices so often did.

No, this one was coming from her side. By the stream that gurgled merrily next to the cliffs.

Rowan dared to turn her head, dared to move her sights from the monastery and its gleaming towers.

There was a woman, her sapphire blue hair rustling in the wind. Her cape billowed out behind her like a shadow, and her cobalt eyes were dark as a storming sky.

Her sword was already unsheathed, and it was glowing like a fiery star, like the flames of a fire reaching towards the sky.

“ _ What _ is happening here?!” She shouted.

Rowan furrowed her brow, confused, wondering if the woman was talking to her. Was trying to get  _ her _ to explain the situation.

But no, the woman’s eyes weren’t on Rowan, but were instead looking past her to whoever had been pursuing her for the past two days.

The woman stepped behind Rowan, between her and her pursuers, and she’d had to crane her neck to watch as the dark riders pulled to a sudden stop in the face of the blue-haired woman.

“Hey, hey,” another voice said, drawing her attention.

Rowan stumbled, but again narrowly avoided falling flat on her voice. Although this time it was because of strong hands taking hold of her arms and holding her steady.

It was a young man, his eyes the colour of a cloudless spring sky. He was wearing what she assumed was the officer’s academy uniform, and he was surrounded by five others in nearly identical garb.

Each of them had their own weapons drawn, but their attention was on Rowan and not on whatever was going on behind her.

“Are you okay?” The young man asked, his voice warm and soothing.

She shook her head, her eyes again burning, although still no tears came. Still all she could do was sniffle pathetically, her bottom lip trembling.

“No- _ no _ .”

Her voice cracked as she spoke, and it sounded strange, like it wasn’t really hers.

It sounded too bloody, too broken.

Her throat scratched as she spoke, and she tried clearing it, to no avail.

The young man’s eyes softened, as did the others.

“It’s okay,” another young man, one with eyes like crimson gems, and a smile that glittered like starlight. He came forward, helping to hold her steady. “You’re safe now.”

“Yoosung, Jaehee,” the sapphire-haired woman shouted, her sword raised and glowing. “Take her back to the monastery, get reinforcements. Everyone else, hold your ground.”

The blue-eyed man nodded, offering Rowan one last smile, what felt like one last glimmer of sunlight in the fading light of the dusk. “You’re going to be alright.”

Then two others were taking hold of her hand, a young man with blonde hair and violet eyes, and a young woman with dark brown hair cropped short. They led her to a horse, helped her into the saddle. Then the woman, Jaehee, got on in front of her, and then the three of them were riding, leaving Rowan’s loathsome pursuers far, far behind her.

She felt dizzy, her body aching, as the gates of Garreg Mach rose up before her as they followed the path up to the monastery.

All around her, people dressed in uniforms and different robes hurried around the monastery grounds, some gawking at her, others ignoring them entirely.

It wasn’t until the boy, Yoosung, leapt from his horse and raced away, that they really started to draw stares.

He waved at a cluster of students, all who instantly began making their way back the way Rowan had just come.

One in particular, a blonde man with a dark blue cape, seemed particularly agitated, asking Yoosung ‘ _ if the professor was alright’ _ and that they  _ ‘had to give her as much aid as possible, just in case.’ _

Rowan continued to sit atop the horse, gaping at the people bustling about their lives. The laughter she could hear echoing in the distance. The bright, viridescent hedges she could see just past the stables. The small children coaxing out kittens from holes wedged between the wooden stable and the ancient stone of one of the monasteries buildings.

Life. So much  _ life _ happening here. So much beautiful, wonderful life.

She felt her bottom lip wobbling again, her eyes burning, her chest growing tight as if she were about to cry, even though she knew she still could not.

It was so wonderful. So simple and yet so beautiful and perfect, like the most beautiful work of art. And she’d almost lost it entirely.

“Are you alright?”

Rowan wiped at her eyes, although she knew they were bone dry. “Yeah,” she said, her voice still rough and cracking. “I’m fine.”

She would have to thank that woman when she returned. For coming to her aid. For giving her another chance to  _ live _ .

Jaehee helped Rowan down from the horse, letting her lean against her as they made their way down one of the ornate paved stone paths.

“Let’s get you to the infirmary,” Jaehee said softly. “I’m sure Manuela will be able to heal you. Then we can see about getting you some food.”

Rowan nodded, letting the young woman guide her down the path and through one of the arching stone corridors.

Another young woman with fluffy, ashy blonde hair stopped them, her brow wrinkling as she looked at Rowan.

“What happened?” She asked, her voice a soft soprano, the kind of voice Rowan knew would sound beautiful in the midst of a choir. Like an angel’s song.

“She was being chased,” Jaehee said simply. “We don’t know by who, but the professor is holding them off. She needs reinforcements.”

The woman nodded. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be, but I can try.”

Jaehee’s brow furrowed for a moment, her eyes darkening. Then they lit up, and she gestured to the woman. “Would you be able to take her to the infirmary, Mercedes? I think she needs healing. I need to return to help the professor.”

The woman, Mercedes, nodded. “Yes, of course!”

Mercedes reached out, and Rowan distinctly felt like an old toy being passed around as Jaehee handed Rowan over.

“Thank you,” Jaehee said, giving them both a curt nod. “I’ll see who I can get to help.”

“Good luck!” Mercedes said, waving.

Jaehee nodded again, giving Rowan what  _ might _ have been an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. You’re in  _ very _ good hands. Mercedes is one of our best healers.”

Mercedes giggled. “I just try my best to help.”

And then Jaehee was gone, leaving Rowan to be ushered further down the corridor by this new stranger.

“I don’t know what’s happened to you,” Mercedes said, speaking in a soft, sing-song voice that reminded Rowan of birdsong. Of feathers and light. “But we’ll do our best to take care of you.”

Rowan nodded, her neck feeling stiff. Even just that simple movement made her feel tired, and her legs started to wobble as they continued walking.

“It’s okay,” Mercedes said softly. “You can lean on me. We still have to go up a flight of stairs.”

_ How _ was she going to make it up a flight of stairs? She could barely take another  _ step _ .

But she leaned against Mercedes, snaking an arm around the woman’s waist to help support herself.

“Thank you,” she said, her voice coming out in a rasping whisper.

“Of course.”

_ Somehow _ , with Mercedes help, Rowan made it up the flight of stairs, and all the way to the infirmary, where Mercedes helped lay her out on one of the empty cots.

“I’m going to find Manuela,” she said, patting Rowan’s arm. “You wait here. I’ll see about making you some tea, too.”

But Mercedes had barely turned away when Rowan was seized with a sudden, sickening dread. It was like ice, her blood congealing and her body freezing in place, cracking like it was about to shatter.

Alone.

She was about to leave her alone.

She couldn’t be alone. She  _ couldn’t be alone. _

“ _ Wait _ ,” she said, much louder and much more desperate than she’d intended.

Rowan’s eyes burned, and with a start she realized  _ this _ would be the moment that she really did cry. The world was already beginning to blur around her, the edges of her vision turning to silver as tears filled her eyes.

She thought she’d cried all the tears she could cry, thought she was too dehydrated for even a single tear more. But she’d been wrong.

Mercedes paused, turning around at the same time as Rowan felt the first hot tears trailing a line of fire from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks.

“Oh-” Mercedes froze, then moved forward, perching on the corner of the cot. “What’s wrong?”

“P- _ please _ …” Rowan wept, a sob building in her throat. “Please don’t leave me alone. I can’t… I can’t-”

She couldn’t finish the sentence, that awful sob tearing through her and rending her speechless.

She couldn’t be alone.

_ Please _ .

Mercedes seemed to understand without Rowan needing to say anything. She just nodded, offering a small smile before pulling Rowan against her.

“It’s okay,” she whispered. “I’ll stay here with you.”

Rowan sniffled, feeling utterly furious with herself, wanting to stop crying, and entirely unable to. So instead she buried her face against Mercedes’ shoulder, leaning into the woman’s embrace, and let her sobs free. Let her entire body shake as she cried and cried and cried, all her terror and despair finally emerging fully from where she’d locked it away for the past few days.

Mercedes held her tighter, gently running her fingers through Rowan’s tangled hair, murmuring quiet words of comfort.

“It’s hard right now,” she said. “But you’re going to be okay. You’re safe here.”

Rowan’s fingers bunched in the fabric of Mercedes’ uniform as she held her tighter, as another sob cut through her.

She wanted to believe her. She wanted to believe her so  _ much _ .

But all she could do was hold tight to this woman, this stranger, as the rivers of fear and misery poured from her, and pray that she was right.


End file.
